Graduate Student Ambassadors

Hey everyone! I’m David, a second-year PhD student in the Behavioral and Community Health department and a research assistant on the PRI project. I’m super passionate about community health, mental health, and making sure everyone’s voice is heard—especially in marginalized communities. I love working on team projects where we can learn from each other and make a real impact. UMD SPH has been an awesome place to grow, do meaningful research, and meet people who care deeply about health equity—just like I do!

Fun fact: I’m big into swimming and running, and I used to compete in karate tournaments all across the Americas! Feel free to say hi or reach out and I’m always up for a good chat or collaboration!

Feel free to reach out for tips on balancing work and school full-time! :)

LinkedIn: David Liendo
E-mail: dliendou@umd.edu

Hello everyone! I am Hamoud M. Alotaibi. I am a Master Certified Health Education Specialist and a PhD candidate in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. Previously, I worked as a clinical health educator to support adult patients with chronic conditions in enhancing their self-management skills and making informed health decisions to improve their health outcomes. My areas of interest are health literacy, disease prevention, and preventive health services utilization.

Hi I am Sumayya! I'm a physician from Nigeria and a PhD student in Behavioral and Community Health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. After several years in clinical practice and HIV program implementation, I realized that improving health requires more than treating patients — it requires understanding behavior, communities, and systems. That realization inspired me to pursue a doctoral program. What drew me to UMD SPH was its collaborative, supportive faculty, and commitment to translating research into real-world impact. My research interests include digital health, women's health, health communication, and implementation science, with a focus on improving health equity. Outside of research, I enjoy building digital health applications for fun, traveling, and spending time with my family. I am excited to connect with prospective students, share my experience, and help others feel at home in the UMD SPH community.

LinkedIn: Sumayya A. Al-Mansur
E-mail: salmansu@umd.edu

I'm Aida, a second-year MPH student and graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. I became interested in public health through my post-grad work as a Community Health Worker/Research Coordinator in the Disparities Research Unit at Mass General Hospital. That experience showed me how social, economic, and environmental factors shape health outcomes while reinforcing the importance of addressing health inequities across multiple levels. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, baking, and watching sports. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions :)

LinkedIn: Aida Girma

E-mail: agirma1@umd.edu

Hello! My name is Carl, and I'm a second-year MPH Epidemiology student. My undergraduate coursework at UMD and my previous research experience examining trends and impacts of mental health and food insecurity among UMD students led me to pursue epidemiology. Outside of academics, I like to volunteer at a local social services organization, play video games, and watch anime. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to connect!

LinkedIn: Carl Wachowski

E-mail: cnwski@umd.edu

Greetings! I am Xiao, a 2nd year MPH student in biostatistics. Before coming to UMD, I studied nutrition in undergrad and worked for several years in clinical research. Working directly with patients and research participants lets me see the stories behind the data, which is what got me interested in biostatistics. I am learning to analyze complex, real-world data with rigor and produce transparent and clinically meaningful work. I continue to work full-time as a research coordinator in pediatric rare disease clinical trials. In my free time, I enjoy rock climbing and spending time with my German Shepherd pup, Olin.

LinkedIn: N/A

E-mail: xhu60@umd.edu

Hi, I am Jakiah Sorzano, part of BS+MPH Cohort 7, and I am currently transitioning into my second year of graduate work. I decided to pursue an MPH because my interests include data visualization, infectious disease and cancer epidemiology. This program made my transition into graduate school smooth and aligns harmoniously with my personal core values. I am eager to use the transferable skills I acquired during my undergraduate studies at UMD to support my learning as I pursue my MPH. One interesting thing about me is that I love art: drawing, painting, journaling, etc., and I also love reading.

LinkedIn: Jakiah Sorzano

E-mail: jsorzano@umd.edu

My interest in environmental stewardship did not begin with any career curiosity, but with the goal of contributing to a society with an appreciation for the natural world. This led me to pursue an undergraduate degree in STEM, which later exposed me to entomology. From the beginning of working with native pollinators to now surveilling vector mosquito species, I eventually found my own place in the natural world I sought to contribute to. Public health, or more specifically environmental health sciences, seemed like a fitting middle ground between my own interests and a way to forge the path towards disease prevention and overall sound health for communities. Currently, I work in a lab studying mosquito species that transmit West Nile and yellow fever viruses. In my free time, however, I enjoy spending time with my family, watching sci-fi movies and cooking new recipes.

LinkedIn: Jordan Palmer

E-mail: jspalmer@umd.edu

I'm Alice. I left behind a job in public accounting to build a career in public health. As an accountant, I specialized in tax, but was drawn to the policy aspects of the field more than the business aspects, and missed the joys of pursuing scientific inquiry in an academic environment. So I decided to switch gears towards health research, and found my ideal environment at UMD's SPH, with its caring faculty dedicated to students' professional and scholarly development. My research interests are in whole person care, care coordination, workforce burden, information exchange, disparities, and international system comparisons, and my dissertation is focused on the impact of health IT adoption on quality of care for vulnerable populations. My non-research interests include anime, manga, and music - specifically, piano and clarinet.

LinkedIn: Alice Yan

E-mail: asyan@umd.edu

Hi! I'm Safia, a second-year MPH student in Healthcare Management. My experiences working in healthcare showed me that improving health goes beyond patient interactions; it also means improving the systems that support care. This inspired me to pursue public health and explore ways to make healthcare more accessible and equitable. At UMD SPH, I love the supportive community and opportunities to grow as a leader. Outside of school, I enjoy roller skating, arts and crafts, and reading mystery books. Feel free to reach out; I'd love to connect and share my experience!

LinkedIn: Safia Ahmed

E-mail: sahmed97@umd.edu

Hi! I'm Taylor, and I'm a second-year BS+MPH student concentrating in Health Equity. My interests include reproductive, sexual, and LGBTQ+ health. I've interned with HIV prevention organizations and currently work as a cardiology medical assistant. As an aspiring physician, I chose Health Equity because I want to better understand the social and structural factors that shape health and address the root causes of health disparities. My goal is to provide care that is equitable, accessible, and affordable. I also have wet lab research experience, which I hope to continue to publish this year. My research team focused on the effects of phthalates, which are chemicals found in plastic, on placental development. Outside of school, I enjoy hiking, going to concerts, and spending time with my dogs.

LinkedIn: Taylor Peterson

E-mail: tpeters5@umd.edu

Hello! My name is Esohe Owie, a second-year MPH student in Health Equity (HLEQ), which I began through the BS+MPH Accelerated Program. I decided to get an MPH in HLEQ because I am interested in utilizing research, stakeholder engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration to address health disparities and promote health equity. Some of my public health interests include maternal and infant health, as well as the built environment and its impact on health outcomes. In my free time, I enjoy exploring new restaurants, visiting the Smithsonian museums, and watching movies from various genres. Feel free to reach out to me if you would like to learn more about my experiences as a double terp in the School of Public Health. I look forward to connecting with you.

LinkedIn: Esohe Owie
E-mail: eowie@umd.edu

Hello! My name is Kalil, and I am a second-year MHA student. I chose the MPH/MHA program for its rigorous coursework, engaging professors, and diverse student body. I am a mental health professional with a decade of experience primarily with youth and teens struggling to manage mental health and addiction-related behaviors. Through my degree, I hope to expand access and increase the efficacy of community health interventions. I grew up in a community that prioritizes the concept "it takes a village," and I aim to be a part of that village for those looking for support. My areas of interest are population health, community health, and mental/public health advocacy and education. In my free time, I enjoy camping, writing, and biking. I always welcome a connection; reach out to me!

LinkedIn: Kalil Bailey

E-mail: kbaile13@umd.edu

Hi everyone! I'm Tiffany, a third-year MHA student. I began my healthcare journey in nursing, where I developed an appreciation for patient care and saw how healthcare systems and administrative decisions affect patients and providers. I later transitioned into healthcare administration to contribute from a broader, systems-level perspective. I currently work as a Finance and Fiscal Administrator with the Maryland Department of Health's Behavioral Health Administration, supporting financial operations, payment processing, reconciliation, and public health funding management. My interests include maternal and child health, health equity, finance, and program management. I am pursuing my MHA to strengthen the leadership and administrative skills needed to support effective public health programs and improve access to quality healthcare. Outside of work and school, I enjoy exploring new restaurants, traveling, shopping, building cars, and going to the track with my partner. I would love to connect, so please feel free to reach out!

LinkedIn: Tiffany Do

E-mail: tdo111@umd.edu

Hi, I am a student in the online MPH-Public Health Practice and Policy program. I chose this program because it combines practice and policy, and I'm passionate about both. I also needed a program that would offer flexibility to me as a full-time professional. I chose UMD SPH after attending multiple information sessions of various schools. UMD SPH offered an excellent education while also being affordable and close to home, and the personal attention I received during the information session was unmatched. I currently work as a Business Analyst for the University of Maryland Medical System. My interests are policy, social determinants of health, and healthcare analytics.

LinkedIn: Lejla Heric-Safadi

E-mail: lhericsa@umd.edu

I'm a PhD candidate in Kinesiology, where I study human movement biomechanics. My research combines wearable sensors, markerless motion capture, musculoskeletal modeling, and machine learning to develop portable tools that can help clinicians and researchers better understand movement in real-world settings. Before pursuing my PhD, I worked as a rehabilitation engineer, which inspired my passion for translating engineering and biomechanics into practical solutions that improve performance, rehabilitation, and quality of life. As a Graduate Ambassador, I enjoy connecting with prospective and current students, sharing my experiences, and helping others navigate graduate school. Outside the lab, you'll find me taking a group fitness class at ERC, playing board games with my daughter, trying a new recipe in the kitchen, or working on an embroidery project.

LinkedIn: Maliheh Fakhar

E-mail: mfakhar@umd.edu

My name is Sasha Chavez, and I am a rising fourth-year doctoral student studying Kinesiology at the University of Maryland-College Park with a concentration in Physical Cultural Studies, advised by Jennifer D. Roberts, DrPH, MPH. With a background in Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine, I aim to identify the sociocultural and environmental factors that influence active play opportunities in pediatric populations. Through this research, I analyze contemporary and historical contextual factors (specifically through the Progressive Era Playground Movement) that create barriers to holistic activity engagement in pediatric populations, highlighting how systems of power, inequity, and the built environment influence pediatric health and physical activity. By integrating critical social theory with public health and movement science, I strive to advance research that promotes more equitable access to play and supports healthier, more inclusive communities for children. In my free time, I enjoy long walks with my three dogs, yoga, and traveling!

LinkedIn: Sasha Chavez

E-mail: stolliv1@umd.edu